Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries (January 11 - 14, 2007)

Purpose: This study uses an employer control framework to empirically examine the complementarity of structural and social exchange approaches in explaining organizational commitment in public child welfare. The structural approach explains commitment as a function of the influence of work environment factors mediated through job satisfaction, an emotional response to the job defined as the extent to which an individual likes his/her job (Kalleberg, 1977; Price and Mueller, 1986). The social exchange approach explains commitment as a reciprocal process in which employees offer commitment in exchange for perceived organizational support (POS), which mediates the effects of the workplace on organizational commitment. POS, defined as beliefs about how strongly the organization values the employee's contribution and cares about his/her well-being (Eisenberger et al., 1986), represents a cognitive/evaluative appraisal serving as the basis for social exchange between individual and organization. Building on a “dual process” model (Yoon & Thye, 2002) the current study adds an employer control framework, proposing that those aspects of the work and work environment that are under greater employer control affect organizational commitment through the intervening variable of POS, those aspects of work that affect commitment but which are less under the direct control of the employer will affect commitment through satisfaction with the job, and those with shared control may work through both pathways. Method: The study estimates a structural equation model using data from a cross-sectional web-based survey of a midwestern public child welfare workforce. The survey was completed by 456 employees representing 59% of the workforce. Results: Results support two pathways to organizational commitment and the employer control framework. Work-related variables under greater employer control (promotional opportunities, work overload) affect commitment through POS, those less under the employer's direct control (service orientation, job safety) affect commitment through job satisfaction, and variables with shared control (supervisor support, role ambiguity, distributive justice, and communication) affect commitment through one or both pathways. Supervisor support is unique in affecting commitment through both pathways. Practice Implications: By empirically validating two separate pathways to commitment, the study suggests different strategies that employers might use to strengthen employees' commitment. Pre-employment screening and early on-the-job experiences, including more intensive training and supervision, may enhance job satisfaction, while POS is more likely strengthened by attending to work overload and opportunities for employees to develop skills and advance in the organization. The unique role of supervision suggests that strengthening opportunities for supervisor training and mentoring may be among the most important strategies that public child welfare agencies can use to ultimately improve the likelihood of staff retention. Eisenberger, Robert, Robin Huntington, Steven Hutchison, and Debora Sowa. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71: 500-507. Kalleberg, Arne L. (1977). Work Values and Job Rewards: A Theory of Job Satisfaction. American Sociological Review, 42:124-143. Price, James L., and Charles W. Mueller (1986). Absenteeism and Turnover of Hospital Employees. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Yoon, Jeongkoo, and Shane R. Thye. (2002). A dual process model of organizational commitment. Work and Occupations, 29(1):97-124.